Carrie Underwoodis using her star-power to promote up-and-coming female artists.
Underwood, 36, kicked off her highly anticipatedCry Pretty Tour 360on Wednesday — and when choosing which artists would open for her, the country star selected two female groups:Maddie & TaeandRunaway June.
“I think it was definitely on my mind,” Underwood said, while reflecting on the all-women lineup in the April 29 issue ofPollstarmagazine, adding that the groups’ talent was still the deciding factor.
“I’m the kind of person who’s competitive, who wants to put on the best show I can! That’s a lot of what I’m thinking about. I want to support talent, and yes, they’re all women, but these artists are very talented at what they do,” she explained.
Ethan Miller/Getty
Continuing, she shared that an all-female bill is exactly the kind of show that’s perfect for her audience to experience.
“You look at my audience, you see tons of little girls. Why wouldn’t they want to see other super-talented young women?” she shared.
The “Love Wins” singer went on to share thatsupporting women country artistsshould be something all performers stand behind.
“I feel like it’s all of our responsibility, the men as well as the women,” she shared. “Throughout history women have been a big part of our format — and it’s up to us to make sure the woman’s voice doesn’t die out.”
Carrie Underwood onstge during her Cry Pretty 360 tour.Jeff Johnson
In addition to giving the rising stars a bigger platform, Underwood’s all-female lineup also sends a powerful message.
“Carrie wanted to help some female artists, and I think empowering a generation of young women artists (and fans) is everything she’s about,” Underwood’s longtime CAA agent Jeff Frasco toldPollstar.
“It makes a statement about empowerment from a woman who sells out arenas anywhere she plays,” he shared.
Hannah Mulholland, Naomi Cooke and Jennifer Wayne of Runaway June.Ethan Miller/Getty
Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye.Ethan Miller/Getty
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The singer’s spirit of empowerment was also on display at theAcademy of Country Music Awardslast month, when Underwood sang withThis Is UsstarChrissy Metzas the television starmade her live television singing debut.
Carrie Underwood and Chrissy Metz.
Praising Underwood’s involvement with putting the performance together, ACM Awards executive producer R.A. Clark toldPollstarthat the singer was the driving force in making the musical moment work.
“She was the music driver who knew how to fold all those women into this song — and give them their moment,” he shared. “Their moment is what’s important to her, and you can feel it the second the performance starts.”
Underwood kicked off her Cry Pretty Tour 260 on May 1 with a sold-out show at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. (On Wednesday, she also picked up the2019 Billboard Music Awardfor top country female artist).
The show featured plenty of the seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer’s biggest hits, as well as her latest songs off of albumCry Pretty.
source: people.com
